The majority of people responding to this week’s online poll believed that the city should renew its $1-per-year lease with the Sonoma-Marin Fair on the 64-acre property it owns.
Almost 86 percent of people believed it should do this, while about 12  percent believed it should not. Two percent weren’t sure.
About  27  percent, meanwhile, thought the city should propose alternative uses for portions of the fairgrounds as it renegotiates its lease with the fair. Almost 61 percent didn’t believe this was necessary, and almost 12 percent weren’t sure.
Here were some of the comments from those responding to the survey:
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“The Sonoma-Marin Fair is something I have attended every single year since I was born. Seeing it either go away or be put to different uses would be tragic. I can’t even believe that not having a fair would be an option!”
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“The open space we now enjoy at the fairgrounds would be sold to developers in a heartbeat by the city. It would be interesting to know all the current uses on the site and it would be a great place to stage equipment in case of a community disaster.”
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“The fair is part of small town Americana.
We could do without the horribly noisy and obnoxious racetrack, but the fair itself is a huge bonus.”
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“Fairs provide children 4-H experience, which hopefully develops values and positive characteristics.”
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It is a chance to celebrate all that Petaluma is.”
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“The fair is an anachronism. That land in the center of town is too valuable to be given away to this once-a-year event for a very small sector of the community. The city has enough on its plate right now and should not waste time on this.”
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“Renew the lease so that this jewel in the center of town can invest in long-overdue improvements. This is a great opportunity for the city which does not cost anything. If the city wants to improve its property, why not start with the old sewer plant, the current city hall, or how about the old train ststion. The city needs to focus on fixing the rest of the town. The fairground will take care of itself, but only if you let it.”
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“Please keep the fairgrounds, let us keep some of old Petaluma here. It has so many good uses as it is!”
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Petaluma should renew the lease. Give the Sonoma-Marin Fair an opportunity to invest in the buildings/venue which will create even more opportunities for community at this location. The idea of relocating the Police Department to a portion of the land is also a win-win for the community. The City Council and the fair directors should have a joint meeting to discuss the future of the fair. Establish a time line and goals, begin negotiations but consider the long term opportunities if the Sonoma-Marin fair was to become a first class location for trade shows, concert/performing arts as well as continue to house schools and a demonstration kitchen. Support agriculture, the heart of beloved Petaluma.
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I love the Sonoma-Marin Fair! It is a great way to get involved in the community and provides summer activities for youth and families alike. The fair allows local competition in both livestock and non-livestock exhibits, and is a great way to promote agriculture in our town.
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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Having the fair at that location unifies our community like the Butter & Egg Days Parade and serves as a landmark for visitors. It is a link to our agricultural past. I like going to the Speedway too. We’re getting plenty of new development nearby with Target, etc. The mix of preschools, Bingo and other activities is just fine as is!
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Greedy Petaluma at it’s finest.
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“Consider carefully and thoroughly! This is a most expensive piece of property that Petaluma owns and many have plans for it…choose what works best for residents over corporate interests if there is a conflict.”